Among all the negative feelings that can take over our conscience and make us suffer, one of them is very cruel: guilt! When we make mistakes, it's normal to feel guilty; what is not normal is to prevent ourselves from forgiving ourselves so that we can reorganize our lives and move on.
But this is more common than you might think! We all have mistakes that we make and that to this day hurt, bring guilt and regret. But these sorrows only delay us and prevent us from building a life for what is good for us and helps us to grow.
If you are going through a phase where you find it difficult to forgive yourself for being consumed with guilt, this article can help you! We have prepared a list of 10 affirmations that will help you to forgive yourself, so that you regain your strength and understand that your mistakes do not define you. Check out!
1 – I need to take care of myself
Even though we have friends, family and lifelong partners, each of these people has their own life to take care of, even though they love you and care about you very much. As much as they can help you feel good, at the end of the day, when you lay your head on the pillow, it's you with yourself.
So think about this: no one will take care of you if you don't take care of yourself first. So, hurting yourself even more with guilt and regrets will only get in the way of your recovery process. You are your superhero, your savior. No one can do this for you, so get up and fight for yourself. forgive yourself!
2 – I am a good person
When we make a mistake, hurt someone or make a choice that we later regret, it is common for the distorted idea that we are not good people to start hammering in our head. If we make mistakes and hurt someone or ourselves, how can we be good people?
We can. That famous saying we use when we make mistakes says it all: “I made mistakes, I am human”. We are human, we are flawed. We make bad decisions and make mistakes with people, but that doesn't mean we're bad. Don't let a slip turn into a skin tattoo. You are not just a mistake. You are a good person!
3 – I have understanding and patience with me
Can you imagine yourself scolding, screaming, and repeating "You're wrong!" for a person who is hurt by having made a mistake and is therefore in need of help, support and care? It would be too cruel to do that to someone, right?
So why do this to yourself? Why is it so heavy when, in fact, what you need is love, hugs and laps? If you are not patient and understanding with yourself, who will be? And why can it be with everyone but you? Exercise your patience and your understanding with yourself!
4 – I have the right to make mistakes
Yes, we can all make mistakes. We are human and we will make mistakes. However, this does not mean that we can err on purpose and justify the error with that statement. It just means that making mistakes is inevitable for us human beings. So, when you make a mistake, think that you are not committing any absurdity.
In fact, think about all the good decisions you've made recently, how good it is for the people who are part of your life and all the times when, even though you could be wrong, you managed to get it right. Realize how you have "credit" and, if you make a mistake, you will learn and evolve!
5 – I am constantly evolving
And we've reached this point! One who does not face challenges simply cannot evolve. Our emotional side is like the muscles of our body, which, in order to develop, need to be exercised. If you don't make mistakes and don't face challenges, you become emotionally stunted.
So, instead of seeing a mistake as a slip, as a stumble, start to see it as a step: one more step that you climbed and climbed towards the top, maintaining your trend of growth and development. Your mistakes are what made you the size you are today!
6 – I trust myself
Losing confidence in ourselves is one of the worst consequences of when we make a mistake and fail to forgive ourselves. But that's just not fair! Mistakes we will all make. So why are you less trustworthy than other people if everyone stumbles?
Also, how many people have you reached out to, and how many goals have you set yourself and successfully met? So stop lowering your confidence because of a mistake. No matter the size of the mistake, forgive yourself, to restore your confidence in yourself and stay firm and strong, conquering much more!
7 – I am not my mistakes
When we make a mistake, it even seems that this mistake becomes our last name, because we start to see it everywhere and feel that people judge us based on it, for example. It's time to change that! Part of the self-forgiveness process is understanding that your mistakes don't define you.
Is it just a slip and a stumble to define who you are, but not your victories and successes? When deciding who you are, don't forget to put your glories in the balance too, because half a dozen mistakes are not able to sum up the amazing person you've become.
8 – I am not who I was in the past
This statement is one that we have to repeat over and over again. Some feelings that come when we think about the past and the mistakes we made, such as shame and embarrassment, are the result of thinking that we were not so mature, for example, in the past. But you are not who you were, you are now someone else!
There are changes that take place over time, and you can certainly analyze what you did years ago and what you no longer do. But there are also those posture changes that happen overnight, literally. So if you're not the same as yesterday, in the literal sense, why let your past define you?
9 - I've come this far
All the mistakes, all the slips, all the stumbles, all the vacillations… Yes, you got over it all, so much so that you're here, right? You have overcome all the bad days of your life, all the cloudy periods and the storms. You are, above all, a great survivor.
And you only managed to advance so much because you learned to leave the past behind in order to focus on the present and the future. If you had stuck to past mistakes, who would you be? Think about a past mistake and what would have happened if you kept that posture. Understand: you have come this far and you will advance even further.
10 – I am the most deserving of my love
It's amazing how many times in life we find ourselves delivering a truck of love to people who don't even deserve our meager consideration, isn't it? And then, when we need to give ourselves - the most important person in our life - a little bit of that great love, we don't have to give...
You need to understand that, more than anyone else, you are the most deserving of your love! You are the person who most deserves your words of affection, reception, love and care. Start practicing this self-love and learn to forgive yourself for past mistakes. You deserve your forgiveness and you will earn it!
You may also like
- Reflect on your reaction when mistakes happen
- Check out the importance of positive reinforcement in the face of mistakes
- See how you need to learn from your mistakes
Forgiving yourself for the mistakes you make is essential to lead an emotionally healthy life and also to welcome and give yourself the care and affection you deserve. So use and abuse these affirmations to heal yourself and dedicate yourself to your well-deserved forgiveness!
